10/01/2009
TYC offers Social service during the teachings of H. H the Dalai Lama
 Dharamshala: TibetPost-10-01-Jan-2009-More than 25,000 devotees from around the world, 1,500 of whom are foreigners and 5000 monks and nuns are attending the teachings by His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Sutdies, Sarnath, Varanasi. The two sets of teaching on Gomrim Bharpa and Shantideva's, A Guide to Bodhisattva's way of life is from January 8 -14, 2008.The devotees began arriving several days before the teachings. At these large gatherings, there is always a dire need for volunteers who can properly guide the devotee's many of whom are strangers to the city and help them feel at comfort here. Even before the teachings started, the devotees need information and directions on finding proper accommodations, making identity cards (entrance pass), the items devotees are not allowed to bring to the teachings, where the entrance gates are located and directions to free medical aid providers here. The Tibetan Youth Congress Information Centre which was started here on 4 January, 2008 has been set up for this purpose. The Centre not only tries to reduce the inconvenience to devotee's through announcements directing them to proper entrance gates and by announcing the timings of the teachings in various different languages, it is also a place where devotee's can rely on to find their lost friends and helps people from different locations meet each other, etc. For many elderly Buddhists, making a last pilgrimage to holy sites in their old age especially when teachings are taking place is a sacred dream. When they make these long and arduous journey there is always the fear that their weak and vulnerable bodies may give up on them here. When people do pass away here during the teachings, members of the Tibetan Youth Congress try to ensure that the dead receive proper last rites and are cremated. People can also report their lost items here and we help to deliver items that have been found and dropped at the Information Centre to their rightful owners. Because the Centre has been set up only for social service, it has strict guidelines and does not make any commercial announcements. At present, a lost wallet belonging to Mr. Isuzo Sogimuro of Japan has been dropped at the Centre. The wallet contains some identity cards and money. Though we have announced in Japanese and English for him to kindly pick up his walled, he has not come to claim his wallet. If he does not come to claim it here, we will handover the wallet to the Japanese Embassy in Delhi after the teachings. Tibetan Youth Congress has been proudly doing social service for the last almost four decades since its inception on 7 October 1970. TYC engages in a wide variety of activities aimed at helping those in need and alleviating some of the most urgent social and educational problems. These range from organizing broom squads to building public toilets, conducting health education programs to blood donation, holding adult education classes to starting schools and planting trees. During the last few Kalachakra's held in India, TYC and its members have helped ensure that the large number of devotee's here who may not speak hindi, the new arrivals from Tibet here for the teachings or the elderly people do not feel discomfort and have proper guidance and assisters. To carry on this long tradition of social service and have set up the information centre here. This year as Tibetans mark 50 years of reconstruction in exile, the members of the Tibetan Youth Congress will rededicate themselves to the service of the nation and beseech His Holiness the Dalai Lama to continue to remain as the supreme leader of Tibet and live for hundreds of eon s. For this the TYC will make a supplication for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama on 14 January 2008. For any further information on TYC activities in Varanasi, contact our Information Secretary Mr. Tsultrim Dorjee at +91 9450553386 Report: By mail |
02:54 Posted in Freedom of expression | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: the tibet post international
09/01/2009
"A Brief Biography of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama" book launch
Dharamshala: TibetPost-09-January-2009-At the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, author Mr. Narkyid Ngawang Thondup launched his new book “A Brief Biography of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama.” He was joined by library director Ven. Lhakdor and guest Mr. Sharma, former principal of the Government College, Dharamshala, who hosted the launch today.In Ven. Lhakdor’s brief introduction, he noted that Mr. Sharma’s lack of the Tibetan language was not a lack of understanding of Tibet and Buddhism and recognized that Mr. Sharma has been a long-time friend and supporter of Tibetans and the Tibetan cause.
Mr. Sharma humbly stated “I must confess, in my own eyes, I am not the fittest person to release” but he says it is his “formal duty of releasing this book.”
In his launch, Mr. Sharma described the book as a complete, comprehensive, and well documented biography of His Holiness the 13th Dalai Lama which follows him through the stages of his life, education and the political responsibility given to him at age eighteen. The book is especially focused on the foresight of the 13th Dalai Lama. Mr. Sharma read from His Holiness’ his last will and testament given in 1933, outlining a future crisis in Tibet in which ‘monks will fall’, Tibetans enslaved and the government left to an ‘empty name’. He remarked that we are seeing this prophecy coming to be.
He stressed that the purpose of the biography is to show the great vision of the 13th Dalai Lama.
The book is published in Tibetan, but hopes for an English translation were expressed.
22:12 Posted in Media | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: the tibet post international
Tibet Post International Celebrates one Million visitors
Dharamshala: TibetPost-9-January 2009-Almost eight months to the day since the audacious launch of The Tibet Post International, the tri-lingual online newspaper welcomed its one millionth visitor. Based in Dharamshala, India, the Tibet Post has labored long and hard to collect and disseminate Tibet-related news for the world, as well as news stories that are important to the struggling exiled Tibetan community.The financial birth of the Tibet Post is credited to the Region Parliament of Trentino-South Tyrol who twice offered generous minimum grants to cover expenses. Armed with an office, a couple computers, and internet savvy, Editor-in-Chief has led the Tibet Post to a successful first year.
The Tibet Post is a non-profit organization and relies heavily on the efforts of volunteers from around the world. Current correspondents and contributors can be found in Taiwan, UK, Poland, Brazil, and the United States, but the majority of published work is written from the home base in Dharamshala. Most visitors originate from China and North America, European countries the target demographic of the newspaper.
Over the last month, the Tibet Post has averaged just short of 7000 visitors per day or almost 5 new visitors every minute.
The staff at the Tibet Post International looks forward to another year of publishing and discussing the latest Tibet-related news for the betterment of all Tibetans in both the exiled community and for those in Tibet itself.
15:53 Posted in Freedom of expression | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: the tibet post international
His Holiness the Dalai Lama Arrives in Varanasi, seven days of Teaching Begins
Dharamshala:08-January-2009-After inaugurating the six-day world religious symposium in Gujarat yesterday,Tibetan spiritual leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has arrived today in Varanasi in UP, India. From 8 January, His Holiness the Dalai Lama will begin a seven days of teaching on "Kamalashila's The Middling Stages of Meditation (Tibetan: Gomrim Barma) and Shantideva's A Guide To the Bodhisattva's Way of Life (Tibetan: Kyod Jug)". The teachings will be held near the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies at Sarnath, Varanasi, India. tibet.net reported.
Besides conferring sermons, Tibetan spiritual leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama will preside over a dialogue between Buddhist and non-Buddhist philosophical schools in Varanasi. tibet.net contued.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama underlined the need to spread the message of peace and to bring peace and unity among all religions, while inaugurating a six-day "World Religions Dialogue and Symphony" at Mahuva in Bhavnagar district in Gujarat, India on 07 January.
Hosted by renowned Kathakar Morari Bapu at Kailash Guruashram, the leading spiritual leaders of various religions will converge at the symposium to have a religious dialogue to foster unity and peace.
Emphasising on the importance of world peace, His Holiness said, in the troubled times, one must not cease to spread the message of peace although it might not yield immediate results.
Delivering his inaugural address in Tibetan which was translated by exiled Tibetan prime minister, Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche, His Holiness said there should be more such dialogues.
World needs to learn lesson in religious tolerance from India and try and adopt its culture that promotes peace, His Holiness said.
"Indian culture is the only one with the tolerance that the world needs to bring about peace and unity among all religions,"His Holiness added.
The Tibetan spiritual leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama said there needs to be a combined efforts by the leaders of all religions so that truth prevails in the universe.
"Although I will be leaving tomorrow, yet I want Morari Bapu and other spiritual leaders present here to set an agenda for the next dialogue. Any agenda to be fixed by you has my prior approval," said His Holiness.
His Holiness will also inaugurate the "International Conference on Buddhism and Science" on 16 January.
02:20 Posted in Freedom of expression | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: the tibet post international
Zhu Rui- - A Chinese Writer Who Dares to Face Tibetan Sufferings
Dharamshala: TibetPost-08-January-2009
By Dekyi- Before writing about Ms. Zhu Rui, I hoped that I could be a writer as skilled as she, thus showing her to be as praiseworthy and respected as she really is. However, as a media professional, restrained by an insufficient literary style, I can only describe the time we spent together, broken up into small pieces.
We were introduced by our common friend, Woeser, a famous female Tibetan writer. But for Tibetans who know Chinese and the English language, Ms. Zhu Rui is not a stranger. What shocked me about Ms. Zhu Rui is the Tibet-related content of her novels, poetry, prose, or essays, with unique insights, rational thinking.
What struck me was that she was truthful, sincere, and genuine.
At the beginning when she first arrived in India in early November 2008, she told me, "Dharamsala is the place which I long for even in dreams!" In Dharamshala her dream came true and she paid a formal visit to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the most admired person in her life. She described the Dalai Lama as a kind father and gracious God, but still retaining a king's honor, not like that of the ruler, but of the protector, that lets people experience the joys and sorrows of a normal life under His wings.
On August 8, the Beijing Olympic Games started, and Ms. Zhu Rui wrote to His Holiness the Dalai Lama an Open Letter, expressing a Han’s perspective and offers sympathy for the plight of Tibetan people and to His Holiness infinite respect, and explaining how this kind of respect will continue for generations.
On November 22, Ms. Zhu Rui was officially received by His Holiness the Dalai Lama with 10 Chinese Democratic activists from various countries at His residence in Dharamsala. Zhu Rui said: "In more than two hours of interview, without saying any pompous words, His Holiness was impressive-looking, and He treated each person earnestly and as equals during the exchange of thoughts. The Dalai Lama respects all lives, and he trusts all lives. In his world, there is no division of rank. From herein, I understand why the democratic system in the exiled community is deep-rooted. The Chinese Communist leaders should come and meet the Dalai Lama to better understand that the world is not full of deceit, evil, and dictatorship, but that there is honesty, decency, and democracy. The last three will last forever. In my opinion, when they oppose His Holiness, they oppose the world, and in doing so, inadvertently expose their evil. "
In nearly two months in Dharamsala, she has interviewed the 17th Karmapa Rinpoche, the Highest Lama of Kagyu sect, Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche, the Prime Minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile, Mr. Thupten Lungrig, the Minister of the Department of Education, Ven. Tsering Phuntsok, the Minister of the Department of Culture and Religion, Mrs. Takla Kelsang Yangkyi, Minister of the Department of Information and International Relations, and Mr. Ngodup Dorjee, Additional Secretary of the Department of Home, and so on. Some of her interviews have already been published in Woeser’s blog and other Chinese websites such as Boxun. These have been thoroughly covered by the media.
Through a series of interviews to achieve a deeper understanding of the development of traditional Tibetan religion and culture, the operation of various departments of Tibet's exiled government, the development of a democratic system, educational undertakings, the progress of Tibet-China dialogue, and the future prospects of Tibet. She also visited nongovernmental organizations. The Gu-Chu-Sum Movement, or the Tibetan ex-political prisoners Association, and the Tibetan Youth Congress were among those she visited. She said: "These two organizations have the essential difference with Chinese Communist Party's propaganda; these are not the Terrorist organizations. In my opinion, such organizations are the perfectly justifiable charities. "
Her passion combined with her thorough knowledge of the Tibetan issue has given her a drive that knows no limitation. Her need for deeper understanding of the Tibetan experience has brought her into both the public exile community in Dharamsala as well as Government offices to exchange and communicate with the elder and younger Tibetan people who know well and are proficient in Tibetan traditional folk custom, the original Tibet aristocrat life style, and the literature and art of Tibet.
She never wastes time, even when she is eating or drinking tea, naturally attracting the people around her to discuss her work. She is always like that, with an inherent kindness, sincerity, and warmth to each person. Many people, myself included, who have had the pleasure of meeting Zhu Rui have said that “in her previous life she was certainly a Tibetan."
Ms. Zhu Rui and Ms. Woeser once worked together at "Tibetan Literature" magazine in Lhasa. As both colleagues and friends, she has a unique insight into Woeser’s work. She described: "Many Chinese literary works look very nice, full of gratifying words but lack any substance. Woeser’s work however, is simple but vigorous, packed with fresh ideas and is gaining popularity. Her writing style is delicate and it comes naturally. Tibetan literature is a big literary realm and there is no doubt that such writings have broad prospects. Those that do not appreciate superior literature will not fully understand her great writing."
"Unlike those writers that work within the Communist system, Woeser has never ignored the plight of Tibet in favor of her personal interest, or stay in one literary genre or doctrine to play the words game. She has never tried to use technology and novelty to decorate her words to flaunt herself in the literary circles of China. As a Tibetan and a writer, she meticulously and faithfully writes about everything she saw. She was a witness to this era. She writes endlessly of the sufferings of Tibetan people. She has a profound background in literature and a keen sense of beauty, and her stories are natural and vigorous, and transcend words."
Ms. Zhu Rui uses her voice to affect action when it comes to resolving the Tibet issue as soon as possible. Through her persuasive writing style, she has built bridges between Tibetans and Han Chinese, eliminate mutual misunderstanding, and to create bonds and recognition between the two sides. She introduces to the Chinese people Tibetan history, culture, folk-customs, politics, national identity, and the current miserable situation. Since the March 2008 protests throughout Tibet against Chinese Communist Party rule and ensuing bloody crackdown by Chinese military and police, she has shown the world the reality of Tibetan suffering, and wrote a well-founded investigative report: "Why Tibetans Want to protest". Zhu Rui has deep love for and shares a connection with Tibet. She breathes the same air as Tibetans, and in the face of total adversity, she worries about the future of Tibet, as she worries about the suffering of Tibetans.
On public awareness of the Tibet issue, Ms. Zhu Rui said: "a Chinese writer still living on the mainland said that he supported independence for Tibet for no other reason but for the Tibetan people who have a strong national consciousness. An Englishman who has stayed in Dharamshala for a long time said that 'in the face of increasingly scarce resources of China, the Tibet issue seems even more hopeless. However, as long as the Tibetan people keep the traditional Tibetan culture, one day, the Tibet issue will be resolved, because dynasties collapse - no one is forever.' I agree to the above statement. For me, I support Tibetans own choices. Independence or autonomy - that is their right to opinion. The path to this end, it seems, there are two important ways: First, like His Holiness the Dalai Lama said, to communicate with the Chinese people. Now, the four non-government organizations in the exile community (Gu-Chu-Sum movement, the Former Political Prisoners Association, the Tibetan Women's Association, Tibetan National Democratic Party, and Students for a Free Tibet), have started supporting activities outlined in 2008 Charter. Showing solidarity is an effective way to communicate and build relationships with the Chinese. Second, to protect Tibetan traditional culture, and make the Tibetan people last forever."
On December 30, Ms. Zhu Rui interviewed His Holiness the Dalai Lama. She told me when it comes to the views and feelings about the interview she "…felt His sincerity and compassion, more strongly than the first time. To have the Dalai Lama is not only Tibetan luck, but rather that of all people, especially Han Chinese luck. I hope one day that more Chinese will realize this. At that time, Chinese people will leave behind the gangster logic of the strong preying upon the weak. Then they will see how the Chinese Communist regime inflicts great suffering upon the Tibetan people."
January 4, 2009, Ms. Zhu Rui left for the holy city of Varanasi in India to receive teachings offered by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Before leaving, she was very proud to say: "Dharamsala is more attractive to me than any other modern cities in the world. In a sense this is my home and place of repentance!"
January 8, 2009, Dharamsala
Add: Profile Zhu Rui
Zhu Rui, female, was born in northeastern China. Now she lives in Canada. She has published several novels, poems, essays, and a number of short stories. Most of her work is related to Tibet. In March 2008 after the uprising in Tibet, Ms. Zhu Rui published many articles on the Internet, including "Why Tibetans Want to Protest", "The Army, Machine Guns, and Bullets, Not Control the Hearts of Tibetans", "Write to Some Chinese", "Invite The Dalai Lama "," Extreme Nationalist Sentiment on both Chinese and Tibetan Communities Are Disadvantaged", "A Letter to His Holiness the Dalai Lama", "Hope the One in Power Doesn’t Miss This Opportunity ", "Hope of Tibet", "Exclusive Interview with Arjia Rinpoche", "Exclusive Interview with the 17th Karmapa Rinpoche", "Exclusive Interview with Mr. Thupten Lungrig, the Minister of the Department of Education", "In the End, Han is Han" and other articles.
Originally written in Mandarin, translated by Dekyi on 8 January, 2009.
02:17 Posted in Freedom of expression | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: the tibet post international
07/01/2009
"Response to the Allegations of the Communist Party of China"
 |  |  |
Dharamshala: TibetPost-7-January-2009 –Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) held a press conference yesterday at Dharamshala, India and officially launched the publication of its new report "RESPONSE: Response to the Allegations of the Communist Party of China" that will reveal the series of attempts made by the Chinese government to malign the Tibetan People's peaceful movement and present the response to the numerous unfounded allegations made by the CPC.Mr. Dhondup Dorjee, Vice President of TYC briefly outlined the purpose behind and significance of the publication by TYC. He also stated "By seeing the potentials of TYC, China has been preparing for decades to disrupt and sabotage the activities of the organization. At the time of TYC's inception in 1970, China strongly criticized its very foundation and today, China not only condemns its very existence but also its policies and activities. In the coming decades, China will most likely intensify its allegations against TYC".
Miss Tenzin Yangdon Kura-amje, Public Relation Secretary of TYC read the Press Release in English for the foreign Medias. After the briefings, Mr. Dorjee and Miss Yangdon both have satisfactorily answered to all the questions from the Tibetan, Indian and International media who were present during the conference.
China has been propagating against Tibetan Youth Congress through their foreign missions and academic circles for decades. After 10 March 2008, the Tibetan people's peaceful movement through out all parts of Tibet shattered the Communist Party of China's (CPC) claims that Tibet always was an inalienable part of China and the Tibetan people were content under the Chinese occupation. The display of the Tibetan peoples deeply held resentment against the colonial occupation of Tibet posed a direct challenge to the Chinese government's legitimacy in Tibet, TYC said.It made their secret campaigns against TYC public by terming it as a terrorist organization without any credible evidence. Through their official mouth piece Xinhua, CCTV, Internet and other sources numerous baseless allegations were hurled at His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Youth Congress.
Recently, the CPC has intensified their campaigns against TYC with baseless allegations containing the usual communist rhetoric. Therefore, we have prepared this researched response to help present the facts and truth from mere China's fabrications. We also hope that the release of the response will provide a clearer understanding of the Tibetan Youth Congress and its activities, TYC continued.
TYC today, is a world wide organization of Tibetans united in the common struggle for the restoration of independence of Tibet with over 30,000 members in 84 chapters in 12 countries. It has emerged as the most active and important political force within the Tibetan community. As the largest independent Tibetan organization with the broadest support base, it also serves as a training ground for the leadership in Tibetan society. TYC has a written constitution with clearly outlined goals.
16:15 Posted in Freedom of expression | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: the tibet post international
06/01/2009
China targets Google to crackdown on more websites
Dharamshala: TibetPost-06-January-2009-China warned Google and other popular web portals Monday that they must do more to block pornographic material from reaching Chinese users, the latest in a series of government crackdowns targeting internet content. During the Beijing Olympic Games, China also blocked all websites that publish the issues of Tibet.The crackdown focused on pornography but is part of a larger Chinese effort to control freedom of expression and root out material it considers destabilizing, such as sites that criticize the Communist Party, promote democratic reform or advocate Taiwan independence.
Pornography is banned in China but remains widely available on and off the internet. Popular Chinese Web portals frequently show sexually explicit pictures and provide links to pornographic websites.
The announcement said Google and Baidu, China's two most heavily used search engines, had failed to take "efficient" measures after receiving notices from the country's internet watchdog that they were providing links to pornographic material, AP reported.
Google asserted that it abides by Chinese law and does not generate pornographic content.
The statement also criticized popular web portals Sina and Sohu, as well as a number of video sharing sites and popular online bulletin boards such as Tianya, that it said contain problematic photos, blogs and postings.
Jeremy Goldkorn, founder of Danwei.org, a website that covers Chinese media issues, said such campaigns happen regularly in China to keep internet sites in line with the government and the mention of Google and Baidu is meant to send a strong message to the whole industry.
"The fact that they rapped every major website on the knuckles ... it is sending a message out to be on their best behavior and that's a system that everyone understands," he said.
Charles Freeman, a China specialist at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the pornography issue was a "stalking horse" for the Chinese government.
"They're looking extensively at political speech, the sort of things traditionally cast under the First Amendment in this country," Freeman said.
He said 2009 is a "very sensitive year politically in China," noting it was 50 years since the Dalai Lama fled Tibet after a failed uprising, 30 years after the democracy wall movement, and 20 years after the crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Tiananmen Square.
Beijing loosened some media and internet controls during the 2008 Summer Olympics—gestures that were meant to show the international community that the games had brought greater freedom to the Chinese people, but blocked The New York Times' website on Dec. 19. It was unblocked a couple days later and remained open Monday.
The Chinese government remains wary of losing its control over the internet, which could be used for organized opposition to the rule of the Communist Party. Last month over 300 lawyers, writers, scholars and artists signed a petition online called "Charter 08", calling for a new constitution guaranteeing human rights.
In the past, the Foreign Ministry has defended China's right to censor websites that have material deemed illegal by the government, saying that other countries also regulate internet usage.
It was unclear what the government classifies as pornographic but it said seven government agencies will work together on the campaign to "purify the internet's cultural environment and protect the healthy development of minors," the notice said.
The statement, which was posted to a news and information website managed by the State Council, said violators will be severely punished, but did not give details. The official Xinhua News Agency said the national campaign would last for one month.
It is unlikely anything other than a fine will be meted out to offenders, Goldkorn said, and the move more likely signifies a need for a quick clean-up ahead of the Chinese Spring Festival, or new year, at the end of this month.
Private Chinese websites often hire their own censors to delete sensitive content and images can be erased quickly at the behest of the authorities, he said. This happened early last year when explicit photos of Hong Kong actor Edison Chen and several female partners performing sex acts circulated online. Chinese authorities arrested or detained nearly a dozen people for circulating the photos.
Sexually explicit photos still appeared on online portals Monday, including pictures of actress Zhang Ziyi sunbathing on a beach topless, AP continued
A Google spokeswoman in China, Cui Jin, defended the site's operations, saying it is a search engine and does not generate any pornographic content. The company obeys Chinese law, she said.
"If we find any violation, we will take action. So far, I haven't seen any examples of violations," Cui said.
Baidu did not immediately return an e-mail seeking comment, and phones at Sina and Sohu rang unanswered.
China has the world's largest population of internet users with more than 250 million, and China's attitude to love and sex has changed markedly since it was denounced as a bourgeois decadence under Mao Zedong, a byproduct of rising prosperity and looser government restrictions on private life.
Reporters Without Borders condemns regional variation in the blocking of access to websites in China. The authorities unblocked the sites of certain international news media and NGOs on 1 August 2008, but many of these sites continue to be blocked in the province of Tibet.
"This regional blocking is a discriminatory measure," Reporters Without Borders said. "It is no surprise that websites focussing on the issue of Tibet are filtered. But it is unacceptable that internet users in Tibet do not have access to the same content as internet users in the rest of China, who are already subject to a significant degree of censorship."
The sites of the human rights organisations Reporters Without Borders and Amnesty International were inaccessible yesterday in Tibet although they were unblocked in the rest of China on 1 August 2008. The sites of Radio Free Asia (except its English-language version) and Voice of America were also blocked, although they are accessible in Beijing and in Shanghai. The website of the Tibetan community in exile, Potala Post (www.pressoftibet.com), was however accessible in Tibet.
The issue of Tibetan autonomy is a very sensitive one for the Chinese authorities and many websites that focus on this issue are filtered inside China, including at the main foreign press centre in Beijing.
These are some of pro-Tibet websites that are still blocked in China: www.tibetpost.net (English, Chinese and Tibetan), www.tibet.net, www.phayul.com, www.vot.org, www.tchrd.org tibetonline.tv www.studentsforafreetibet.org www.freetibet.org and woeser.middle-way.net
Tsering Woeser, a Chinese writer of Tibetan origin is often threatened by the Chinese authorities because of what she posts on her blog (woeser.middle-way.net). She filed a complaint against the government on 23 July for preventing her from travelling abroad. She has been stripped of her rights as a citizen since 2004 on the grounds that she could "put the nation in danger."
On 6 March, she was forbidden to go to Norway to receive an award for her work and for her commitment to free expression. Her second book, Xizang Biji (Notes on Tibet), was withdrawn from sale in September 2003 on the grounds that its content was "harmful for the nation's unification and solidarity."
Access to the US company Apple's iTunes music library has been blocked in China since the discovery that some people used it to download the new "Songs for Tibet" album, which was produced in the United States with the help of musicians from all over the world in order to protest against Chinese policy in Tibet.
14:29 Posted in Freedom of expression | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: the tibet post international
05/01/2009
Urging China-Tibet dialogue
Dharamshala: TibetPost-05-January-2008- While recent high-profile events create a gloomy forecast, a review of 2008 in totality reveals several reasons to maintain hope for an end to the Tibetan struggle. These reasons include increasing international support by organizations such as the United Nations and the European Parliament, as well as visits by foreign dignitaries interested in creating lines of communication, education, and trade such as those by Russian MP's, Ukrainian VIPs, American Congresspeople, and several universities from around the globe. Staging protests at the Olympics in Beijing, the torch rally, and in the Tibetan capital Lhasa, has invited the media spotlight to a political situation and has lit a spark of interest in a new generation of people that support the Tibetan cause. Hope lives for productive talks with BeijingThe following was originally published in Asahi Shimbun: A Leading Japanese National Newspaper
The year 2008 was shaken by turmoil in Tibet, where riots (TPI: "protests") erupted last March and protests targeting the torch relay for the Beijing Olympic Games spread around the world.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy, the 2008 national chair of the European Union's rotating presidency, enraged Beijing in December when he had talks for the first time with (His Holiness)the 14th Dalai Lama, the top leader of Tibetan Buddhism.
A Chinese Foreign Ministry press secretary said Sarkozy's meeting with a political exile determined to break up the homeland is an outrageous interference in China's internal affairs and has deeply hurt the people's feelings.
Some among the Chinese public criticized Sarkozy's meeting as tantamount to former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's repeated visits to war-related Yasukuni Shrine.The Chinese, who issued repeated warnings against a meeting with (His Holiness) the Dalai Lama, postponed a summit with the EU scheduled in Lyon, France.
With the impact of the global financial crisis extending into the real economy, the failure to hold the summit between China and the EU, two powers expected to play key roles in getting the world economy back on track, is extremely regrettable.
Sarkozy's decision to proceed with the meeting over Beijing's protests reflected not only the French public's concerns about human rights but also France's aim to again appeal to Beijing for the importance of talking with (His Holiness) the Dalai Lama.
Since the turmoil in March, talks between (His Holiness) the Dalai Lama's envoy and Chinese authorities, which began under prodding from international opinion, remain stalled.
Tibetan spiritual leader, (His Holiness) the Dalai Lama, has not shifted his moderate policy line that reportedly favors a higher degree of autonomy, but not independence, for Tibet.
Yet Beijing refuses to accept that line, claiming that the religious leader has his sights set on virtual independence. China's stance was so rigid that we believe its resumption of dialogue was a pose intended to avoid undermining the buildup to the Summer Olympics.
Reacting to such a stance from China, an increasing number of hard-liners in Tibet, primarily young people, are demanding independence.
At a conference of exiled Tibetans convened in November, participants agreed to maintain the middle-of-the-road path (Middle-Way-Approach). But the prevailing view was that Beijing's failure to take positive steps would leave no choice but to push for independence.
Beijing bureaucrats may doubt the true extent of "autonomy" sought by (His Holiness) the Dalai Lama because of the Tibetans who live outside the autonomous region and non-Tibetans who follow the Tibetan Buddhism faith.
Nonetheless, Chinese authorities would be well advised to proceed with talks with (His Holiness) the Dalai Lama, who is widely supported in Tibetan society.
Some Chinese officials appear intent on delaying discourse in light of (His Holiness) the Dalai Lama's age, 73. But actions based on such motives would block the existing lines of communication between the two sides, running the risk of sparking another round of riots.
2009 is also a sensitive milestone--the 50th anniversary of the Tibetan Revolt (TPI: Tibetan Uprising Year).
Following the turmoil in March, the Japanese government, in a quiet and resilient fashion, urged Beijing to agree to dialogue. Japan was not as loud as Western countries in this regard.
This approach resulted in some Chinese saying that Japanese diplomacy valuing face bore fruit. This Japanese-style approach should be carried on.
(the above article was originally published by The Asahi Shimbun, Dec. 31(IHT/Asahi: January 3,2009) the opinions expressed in the quoted article are those of Asahi Shimbun and not of The Tibet Post International)
21:43 Posted in Freedom of expression | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: the tibet post international
02/01/2009
Former Indian president meets His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Dharamshala:TibetPost-02-01-2008-The former president, Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam meets the Tibetan spiritual leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama as he arrived at an airport near Dharamshala today on a two-day visit to Himachal state of India. The two leaders shared a car from Kangra airport to residence of His Holiness.
The exiled Tibetan prime minister, Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche responded to the Tibetan media after the two leaders meeting took place at the palace of H.H the Dalai Lama. This is first time in the history that one of the Indian former president came to meet His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the residence? "Yes, this is a great historical moment as the two leaders meeting took place here Dharamshala." Samdhong Rinpoche said
"The former president of India, Dr. Abdul Kalam proposed to attend a function near Dharamshala, the two leaders' have not seen each other for long, and he has a long term friendship with His Holiness the Dalai Lama as all the former presidents does." Rinpoche said
Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam, the former President reached Kangra airport this afternoon and he spends half hour with the Tibetan spiritual leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, where the Central Tibetan Administration situated.
After meeting with His Holiness, Dr. Abdul Kalam headed to the National Institute of Information Technology (NIIT), Hamirpur, H.P state, where he will take part in the convocation of the National Institute of Information Technology on Saturday morning.
Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam will interact with students from the NIIT this evening and with schoolchildren on tomorrow morning, reported Punjab News Online.
This will be his second visit to Himachal State following his December 2004 tour as President of India.
22:10 Posted in Freedom of expression | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: the tibet post international
30/12/2008
Taiwan youth should protect democracy, freedom, and human rights, says H.H the Dalai Lama
 (Dharamshala:The Tibet Post International-www.thetibetpost.com-29-12-2008)-Musical band Shan-ling and lead singer Freddy, on the morning of the 29th in Dharamshala, met His Holiness the Dalai Lama. They came to seek H.H.’s support and blessing for a concert titled “Free Tibet scheduled for March of 2009. They hope that his kind of activity will make Taiwanese youth to be more concerned about freedoms, democracy, and human rights. The main singer Freddy invited His Holiness the Dalai Lama to this concert, as the Taiwanese people would welcome him warmly. While in Dharamshala, Freddy will also visit the Central Tibetan Administration, the Tibetan Children’s Village school, the Ex-Political Prisoners’ Association (Gu-Chu-Sum), and other international human rights groups including the International Tibetan Support Network (ITSN) to learn more about the exiled Tibetan situation. The Tibetan spiritual leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama says that Taiwanese people should confront human rights issues everywhere in the world, including Tibet and Taiwan. Freddy and his band will return to Taiwan on January 2. |
00:05 Posted in Freedom of expression | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: the tibet post international